Sharing knowledge and skillcraft for surviving violent encounters.

03/25/2016

After much discussion with some very influential women in my life, I have decided to put together a series of training events geared just for women. The Fear-LessFighter Seminar Serieswill be offered starting in April, 2016. The first course will be a core skills training seminar in Canton, OH covering the fundamental techniques of LANISTA International's StreetFighter course. This will not be a watered down, touchy feely training evolution...this is the same skill set we teach anyone; Hard nosed combatives designed to help you prevail in a violent encounter.

Check it out and register here. More dates and venues will be added in the future.

Violent encounters on the street are not simple problems. They are usually executed with speed, cunning, and ferocity. Criminals are predators and they will prey on the weak and unaware. Don’t be a victim. Train hard and make sure your training is Real, Relevant and Proven.

02/22/2016

EDC or Every Day Carry, is a term used to define what an individual carries with him on a daily basis. Typically, it consists of items to aid you during some form of emergency. For some, this may only be their keys, wallet and smartphone. For those like minded folks, EDC means much more. Women tend to have the upper hand with EDC because of the availability of a purse. This post will focus on the Tier 1EDC kit. To put EDC in perspective, it consists of a 3 Tier system. Tier 1 is the kit that is always on your body, in pockets or on a belt. Tier 2 would be equipment that is carried off-body. Tier 2 utilizes purses, small backpacks or messenger/computer type bags. often referred to as a "Go-Bag". Tier 3 would consist of larger, purpose-built kit that would be kept in an office, home or vehicle. Tier 3 is often referred to as a "Bug-Out-Bag" (BOB). We will discuss Tier 2 & 3 equipment in another post.

So back to our Tier 1 EDC . It is currently winter in Ohio and this means my EDC varies from my warmer weather EDC. With the winter requirements for more, heavier clothing, the ability to store EDC items on my body becomes easier and less obtrusive. Below are the 3 categories of items for Tier 1 EDC.

Communications: It is difficult to see anyone without some brand of smart phone these days. They are an invaluable tool and have a plethora of "Apps" ranging from navigation aids to medical procedures. The downside would be battery life and the ability to charge the device if needed. What I see as the biggest detriment to the smartphone is your "situational awareness". Far too many people get sucked into that little screen and lose awareness of their environment (Check out this post on SA).I would also put a good powerful (think Lumens) tactical flashlight in this category. There are multiple ways to utilize a flashlight to gain attention if needed, especially at distance.

Self-Defense: A reliable concealed firearm with at least one spare magazine and quality defensive ammo. An edged and/or an impact weapon in case you have an issue with your firearm and for situations that do not require the use of deadly force (impact weapons). I would place a Flashlight in this category as well. But, it must be a good tactical flashlight as noted above. It can be used as a blinding and impact weapon. Finally, mano a mano skills! While this is not something you carry, it is a critical skill to have.Too many people rely solely on the weapon attached to their body, believing that it is a panacea to all bad things on the street. This is a potentially deadly mistake, you must have unarmed combative skills, period.

First-aid: Something as simple as a few Band-Aids and maybe some Motrin would be OK. If you can carry it and not look like a tactical ninja (unless you are good with that look), I would strive for a small trauma set-up. At minimum, hemostatic gauze and a tourniquet would be ideal. This is much easeier to pull off for Tier 1 EDC during months that require more clothing, a bit more difficult during the warmer months.

It should be apparent that I will always have my keys and wallet. My wallet has enough cash to get me by if needed as well as credit cards, it also holds my Carry Concealed Weapon (CCW) permit. Depending on what I am doing or where I am going, the items I'm carrying will vary.

There you have it, the start for your EDC. You should get use to carrying these items everyday, with consistency. I wish we could all know the moment that we will need a firearm, but we don't, so we must be prepared and ready.

Below is a photo of my typical load-out. Specific items do tend to change, but this is pretty much it for my Tier 1 EDC. Carrying all of these items is possible only due to my winter coat (Filson Mackinaw Cruiser). Items like the trauma kit and tourniquet will most likely find there way into my Tier 2 kit during warmer weather. I will also have a smaller flashlight on my person. (Pics taken with my smartphone)

Violent encounters on the street are not simple problems. They are usually executed with speed, cunning, and ferocity. Criminals are predators and they will prey on the weak and unaware. Don’t be a victim. Train hard and make sure your training is Real, Relevant and Proven.

01/28/2016

It has recently been brought to my attention that not everyone understands Situational Awareness. Now, I say that tongue in cheek. I know that not everyone understands it! My wife, who tends to be right more often than not, reminded me that women who are concerned about personal safety and security may seek out and read a blog like this one. So it is up to me to make sure they, and anyone else who would happen upon here, understand certain topics and terms that I may refer to, such as "situational awareness". So here it is, for anyone who may (or may not) need a crash course on situational awareness.

Situational awareness is the ability to identify, process, and comprehend the critical elements of information in your surroundings. Simply knowing the definition and "paying attention" is not enough. You need to have the mental discipline to utilize it in your daily life. Situational Awareness (SA) goes hand in hand with having a survival mindset. More importantly, it has to be part of a mental, tactical decision-making process that you utilize when you see the potential for danger. If you train your body, train with weapons, train in combatives, etc., you do yourself an injustice if you do not also train your mind. SA is exactly that: training your mind to work synergistically with all of your other survival attritbutes. I dare say here that it may be the very most important attribute you could train. It is SA and tactical decision-making that will most likely give you the opportunity to identify a bad situation transpiring and give you the ability to evade/escape all together. That is the ultimate goal, avoidance, going home and seeing your loved ones.

Now, SA and a tactical decision-making process is not a new concept, and there are various methodologies of implementation. I tend to lean towards 2 of the more commonly known and easily presented techniques. They are Cooper's Color Codeand Boyd's OODA Loop. For the sake of this post, I will discuss Cooper's Color Codes, created by the late Col. Jeff Cooper. It is the method that I find easiest to explain to individuals who may not make their living working in harm's way.

Cooper's Color Code is a guide to help identify one's mental alertness level. The color codes will only be a useful tool when used in conjunction with physically conditioned responses.

The 4 color codes are:

Condition WHITE:This is the condition of complete disconnect from your present situation. Your mind is everywhere but where it should be, paying attention to what is happening around you. This is the “I can’t believe this is happening” level of alertness. You will be subject to all of the physiological & psychological effects of fear and startle. Sadly, many people are in this state often throughout their day. Again, it is mental discipline that will keep you out of this condition. Reserve white for when you are home, the kids are in bed and your are watching TV. (Maybe)

ConditionYELLOW: This is best described as relaxed but alert. You notice what is taking place around you and can identify any anomalies in your surroundings. In your mind, you have accepted that some potentially dangerous event could take place. This is the absolute lowest level of alertness that you should allow yourself to be in, especially if you are a responsibly armed citizen.

Condition ORANGE:This level is where you have identified a potential threat. Being in Yellow, your alertness has paid off and you realize that something seems out of place. Maybe you picked up on someone who has correlated his movements to yours and is looking around for potential witnesses. This is where your training kicks in and you formulate a plan of action. You mentally give yourself a trigger to act. “If he does X, I will immediately do Y”. This is the perfect time to evade if possible. Mentally, you are set for the next level.

Condition RED: You are now in it! Your trigger has been tripped and you act. The plan you formulated back in Orange is initiated. This is also a time in your life where you may have to use deadly force. Your training has hopefully prepared you for this event. Inaction here can have lethal consequences for you! The plan may not need to be carried out to the end. If your plan was to shoot, presenting your firearm may be enough to dissuade him all together. Event over, you were successful, call 911 and report. The point is that you were mentally prepared and aware and you acted appropriately.

Remember, you have to be accountable for yourself. You owe it to your loved ones to remain alert. Once you begin to use these levels of alertness, you will realize that there is a lot going on around you. Most of it will be benign, but potential threats do exist. Be cautious to not let the fact that evil exists burden you to the point of paranoia. Just being aware and having good situational awareness in your everyday life can pay off huge in multiple ways, not just in terms of survival.

Being alert is not paranoia. Being oblivious is detrimental.

Violent encounters on the street are not simple problems. They are usually executed with speed, cunning and ferocity. Criminals are predators and will prey on the weak and unaware. Don’t be the victim. Train hard and make sure your training is Real, Relevant and Proven.

01/23/2016

I’m not going to get into great detail on my life’s story here. If you want to learn more specifics on me, read my profile here: I have nothing to hide and am proud of my accomplishments.

Over the life of this blog, I intend to relate as much of my background and experience into the topic being covered, to share lessons learned from both failures and successes, and to hopefully create a place to come together and better ourselves. This site is an extension of my training company LANISTA International . I will through writing and video, share skillsets & tactics. Please understand that it is for informational purposes only. I encourage you to train hard but seek qualified instruction and instructors.

I’m a husband and father of three children, whom I take the job of protecting very seriously. I’ve had the “protector” mindset for as far back as I can remember. Many of "us" do. That’s why I believe we choose certain paths in our lives. I’m a former U.S Marine combat veteran and have been in the high threat security industry for nearly my entire “responsible” adult life. Whether I was actually running operations or teaching some form of security or self preservation type skills, I've worked my way up in this business the old fashioned way: by taking a bunch of thankless jobs before I caught a break. Most people don’t like to talk about the ugly in their lives or even admit it exists, but I think it’s worth it because it helps you appreciate how far you've come.

Back in the mid 90s I got hooked in with one of the few (back then) big companies providing security work overseas, and the rest kind of fell into place from there. I worked in and out of overseas assignments for roughly six years until I took a job teaching high risk environment skills at a training facility in Northern Virginia. So, I have been running training programs that include the offensive/defensive use of firearms, empty-hand combatives, edged/impact and improvised weapons, protective services and discreet security operations ever since. I have been in this business for a long time, and I have learned a lot. I tell you this to highlight the fact that I am not new to this game. I live this lifestyle. It is who I am.

In a nutshell, I’m trying my best to keep it real here and at the same time have fun. Work is serious enough. I want to enjoy the rest! I am very grateful for what I have and what I’ve learned. I’m in no way an expert on everything. I don’t propose to know it all or point out that the way I do it is the only way. I dobelieve in the way I do it, and I think that’s the key. You have to be an honest with yourself. If you train in any form of combative disciplines, be honest with yourself. Would it work? Has it worked before? Is it too complex? These are some of the points that I will attempt to showcase through this site. I'll cut through what I believe is BS and highlight what I believe to be a realistic approach to a very dangerous game. My goal is to elicit a response or action from you in an honest, thought-provoking way. Share what we learn along the way while researching the best training techniques that will help us prevail in a potentially life threatening encounter. I will never say that this is the only way. I will not bash others…well maybe sometimes! Anyone who tells you, “this technique is BS, use my sure fire, no-fail technique” is full of it themselves. Situations on the street are fluid. You have to be smart, ready and willing. Techniques, in my opinion, are extremely important but will become secondary to your desire for a favorable outcome. I can’t give you the mindset, that’s something you have to have or find on your own. This blog is going to focus mainly on combative disciplines, fighting for life not sport. Topics will include; firearms, empty hands, intermediate or weapons of opportunity, edged and impact weapons . I’ll discuss the topics of physical and mental preparedness, while at home or away, on the job or off.

This site will not be politically correct, and if you don’t have thick skin or are offended by words, then move on to a more suitable site. This site is going to be dedicated to fighting! Fighting means blood and snot flying everywhere, getting busted up, possibly stabbed or shot if you don’t commit or if you are caught unaware. So, I will give it the realism it deserves. I’ll say this once again; I KNOW WHAT I KNOW AND I DO WHAT I DO. I’M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS, BUT REMEMBER: this is about what I believe in. I won’t lie to you and let you believe that I am some former three-letter agency man who can’t talk about my secret missions or that my style is so deadly that only until now can I reveal it to you, as I am no longer with the secret fighting wing of the Salvation Army. I want to do my best to share with you real world techniques or methodologies that will hopefully work for you in dangerous situations. Nothing is a guarantee, and it’s up to you to muster up the heart and bring the violence. I hope you find this site useful, informative and entertaining. I would love to hear your thoughts on what is written here. My desire is that we can grow together and share ideas and techniques that will help us progress in our search for combative mastery. I hope to see you at a training event soon.